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Mix Master Mike manifested his role in the Beastie Boys by leaving multiple voicemails of himself scratching. His plan worked and he ultimately joined the group around the time Ad-Rock, MCA and Mike D were working on Hello Nasty, the Beasties' fifth studio album. Released in July 1998 via Capitol Records, the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling more than 681,000 copies in its opening week. It later earned two Grammys in the Best Alternative Music Album and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group (for "Intergalactic") categories at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards. 

On Tuesday (December 27), the Invisibl Skratch Piklz alum shared an Instagram video of himself opening precious cargo from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Inside was a plaqu

Kurtis Blow became the first rapper to sign a record deal in 1979 when he inked the dotted line with Mercury Records for the single "Christmas Rappin'." The track sold over 400,000 copies, making it the most commercially successful Hip Hop single at the time. Now, the Harlem Hip Hop legend has returned with an updated version of the song with the help of DJ Hurricane. 

Shortly before Christmas, the former Beastie Boys DJ uploaded a clip of the song to his Instagram account, which features Blow rapping in front of Hurricane as he tears up the turntables. An army of Hurricane's peers flooded the comments with approval.

Big Daddy Kane wrote, "KURT!!! All the best to you and the fam Cane," De La Soul's Plug One left a series of crown emojis and Masta Ace simply said, "I lo

The Shakur family has faced insurmountable tragedies over the years, including the 1981 arrest of 2Pac's stepfather, Mutulu Shakur. But according to The Bureau of Prisons, Shakur was released from a federal prison in Victorville, California after nearly four decades behind bars for "medical reasons." As the New York Daily News reported, the U.S. Parole Commission ordered his release during an October 12 hearing, explaining the 72-year-old had been diagnosed with bone marrow cancer in 2019 causing his health to suffer greatly. 

The commission explained in their findings, "The commission finds that your medical conditi

The Specials have announced the passing of lead singer Terry Hall, one of the founding members of the iconic British two-tone group. The news arrived via instagram on The Specials' official account. It read: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing, following a brief illness, of Terry, our beautiful friend, brother and one of the most brilliant singers, songwriters and lyricists this country has ever produced.

"Terry was a wonderful husband and father and one of the kindest, funniest, and most genuine of souls. His music and his performances encapsulated the very essence of life… the joy, the pain, the humour, the fight for justice, but mostly the love. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him and leaves behind the gift of his remarkable music and p

Madlib, Mark Ronson and The Coca-Cola Company have announced the launch of Recycled Records. The campaign is accompanied by an EP created using the sounds of bottle-to-bottle recycling process alongside an expansive sound library and MC Lyte-narrated short film.

From the percussion of a forklift beeping to the hi-hat of air blown into a plastic bottle, the project evolved into an "imaginative collection" of seven tracks to "draw a clear connection between the spirit of music sampling and the closed loop recycling process." 

In a statement, Madlib talked about the freedom he discovered making the album and magic of sampling—anything. As he explained, "A great sample doesn’t have to come from other music, it just has to make you move.T he thud of a plastic bottle goi

Kendrick Lamar has returned with another visual offering from Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. On Friday (December 16), the lauded MC became a trending Twitter topic after he uploaded the video for "Count Me Out" to YouTube.

Starring actress Helen Mirren as his therapist, the video begins with Lamar staring off into space during one of their sessions. As their conversation continues, Lamar starts rapping the words to the song: "One of these lives. I'ma make things right/With the wrongs I've done, that's one of you now/With the Father, Son, 'til then, I fight/Rain on me, put the blame on me/Got guilt, got hurt, got shame on me/Got six magazines that's aimed at me/Done every magazine, what's fame to me? (And I'm trippin' and fallin')." 

From there, clips of Lama